The cross-border venture capital forum Seed4Start today announced that it has opened entries for its 4th edition, with registration available until 25 September 2015.
The forum was launched on 5 June last year at nyuko to allow entrepreneurs to seek financing through private investors, and the 4th edition of Seed4Start will comes with several new features. The training, designed to introduce entrepreneurs to investor expectations and the subtleties of a pitch, which allows speakers ten minutes to present themselves, will now be offered in English as well as French. In addition, support for entrepreneurs has been enhanced, particularly with regards to support after the 'Seed4Start Pitching Day'.
"We will set up a debriefing day to help entrepreneurs harness the contacts made. It's not easy when you have your head in the handlebar, to revive contacts and meet investors. But it is important for to do at this time as it doubles the chances of successful negotiations," explained Boris Ouarnier, Manager of CCI O2 Appraisal Lorraine, the Seed4Start structure driver in Lorraine.
With this last change, part of the Seed4Start programme will become profitable. During the first three years, the programme received 50% of its financial support from the EU, with the other half supported by various organisers and sponsors. In the new programme, 50% of costs will continue to come from organisers and partners, whilst the second half will be borne from contractors. The rates will be adapted to the needs of the entrepreneurs and the results of fundraising.
The first pre-selection will be made on 5 october 2015, after registration closes on 25 September 2015. To equip entrepreneurs with all necessary knowledge, training will be held in late September/early October. On 19 and 20 October 2015, a final selection jury will choose the projects that will go on to be presented to investors at the Seed4Start Pitching Day, which will be organised in the three regions of Luxembourg on 24 November 2015; Lorraine on 27 November 2015; and Belgium on 2 December 2015.
Since its launch in 2012, with the support of the Interreg IVA project of the European Union, hundreds of companies in the Greater Region have submitted bids to attend the Seed4Start Forum. Of these hundreds, 54 start-ups were selected to become part of the Forum, over half of which have managed to raise funds for a total amount of more than €21 million. More than 350 investors have participated directly or via their network in various meetings with start-ups.
Seed4Start aims to link entrepreneurs in the Greater Region with private investors, integrating a support and training component into the initiative. Seed4Start is led by six key players in business creation, including the four organisers of nyuko asbl in Luxembourg; CCI ORBilan and ADER Investments in Lorraine; and BeAngels in Wallonia, as well as two methodological partners in the form of LBAN and Luxinnovation in Luxembourg.
Photo by Seed4Start
